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Results of Competition:
Competition Code:
Note: These proposals have succeeded in the assessment stage of this competition. All are subject to grant offer and conditions being met.
Project title Proposed project costs Proposed project grant
Elephants to Ants: Innovation in
Integration
£49,921 £49,921
Note: you can see all Innovate UK-funded projects here
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/innovate-uk-funded-projects Use the Competition Code given above to search for this competition’s results
Create Technologies Limited
SBRI - Nuclear Decommissioning: Integrated System Demonstrator
1701_SBRI_NDA_PH1
Total available funding is up to £900,000 for Phase 1 of this competition
Participant organisation names
Project description - provided by applicants
Innovative integration is about more that just integrating innovations. Developments in robotic systems integration in the R&D space over the last
10 years have made profound changes to the way such systems are developed by making robotics open, modular and re-usable. This has
resulted in big speed-ups and cost reductions for those developing new robots. The agility that these robotics developments systems enable is
perfectly suited to nuclear decommissioning, where flexibility and the adaptability in the presence of both known and unknown technical risks is the
key to success. In this project we will demonstrate that this flexibility not only enables improved performance in and of itself, but that it also has a
fundamental impact on the form of both the solution and the way it is deployed and operated. These new solutions will: maximise re-use (saving
cost), reduce initial acquisition cost, reduce overall technical risk, reduce waste arising and accelerated decommissioning.
Funders Panel Date: 14/06/2017 1
Results of Competition:
Competition Code:
Note: These proposals have succeeded in the assessment stage of this competition. All are subject to grant offer and conditions being met.
Project title Proposed project costs Proposed project grant
Hot Hatch Cell Recovery £49,592 £49,592
Note: you can see all Innovate UK-funded projects here
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/innovate-uk-funded-projects Use the Competition Code given above to search for this competition’s results
James Fisher Nuclear Limited
SBRI - Nuclear Decommissioning: Integrated System Demonstrator
1701_SBRI_NDA_PH1
Total available funding is up to £900,000 for Phase 1 of this competition
Participant organisation names
Project description - provided by applicants
The collaborative team, spearheaded by James Fisher Nuclear are pleased to offer our innovative, yet transferable solution to the Technical
Specification supplied. We believe that we have identified an end-to-end solution utilising several emerging technologies and SME's to deliver a
step change to the decommissioning approach. A blend of new technology and novel applications of existing technology form the basis of our
submission which we believe can be developed and fully integrated within the boundaries of the contract. The combination of our facilities and
collaborative partners enables us to deliver this project to phase 2 and beyond. Existing facilities, site locations and experience of personnel enable
us to offer value for money from the collaborative team. Utilising existing NDA assets and hiring equipment for development and demonstration will
minimise our upfront capital equipment costs, allowing the project budget to be spent primarily on valuable labour activities.
Funders Panel Date: 14/06/2017 2
Results of Competition:
Competition Code:
Note: These proposals have succeeded in the assessment stage of this competition. All are subject to grant offer and conditions being met.
Project title Proposed project costs Proposed project grant
Integrated Innovation for Nuclear
Decommissioning
£50,000 £50,000Westinghouse Electric Company UK Limited
SBRI - Nuclear Decommissioning: Integrated System Demonstrator
1701_SBRI_NDA_PH1
Total available funding is up to £900,000 for Phase 1 of this competition
Participant organisation names
Funders Panel Date: 14/06/2017 3
Note: you can see all Innovate UK-funded projects here
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/innovate-uk-funded-projects Use the Competition Code given above to search for this competition’s results
Project description - provided by applicants
The Innovation for Decommissioning (I4D) team of Westinghouse Electric Company UK Limited, Cammell Laird, REACT Engineering, Forth
Engineering, Fraser Nash Consultancy, Nuclear AMRC, BROKK, OC Robotics, SPEX, TWI and the universities of Lancaster, Sheffield,
Manchester, and Liverpool have come together to provide an integrated platform to safely deliver the most cost effective decommissioning
programmes for our clients. The complementary skill sets of the I4D team bring a solid platform of proven systems interwoven with innovative
technologies and advanced modelling developments that will challenge the current decommissioning methods to drive lifecycle cost reductions. As
a UK centric team with a worldwide reach, the individual members are actively engaged in the development and integration of new technologies
into the nuclear decommissioning market. With vast experience in nuclear activities and technology research and development I4D can draw upon
1000's of skilled UK personnel to design, manufacture, test and operate our systems. Further by linking universities, catapult centres and industrial
partners our programme will continue to draw upon cutting edge technology to drive improvements in decommissioning cost reduction. Importantly
the I4D methodology will focus on elevating the capabilities of the UK supply base to the forefront of worldwide decommissioning innovation. An
offsite demonstrator representing the legacy cells will be constructed to confirm the performance of the decommissioning machines and
processes. The process identified by I4D will focus primarily on developing a highly skilled workforce; reducing dose to operators; increasing
productivity through additional working time; appropriate and innovative use of technologies (both existing & new) and better waste recycling. The
development of virtual reality (VR) as a proven method of working will allow the operator access to facilities in a safe environment to prove the
deconstruction techniques can be delivered. Decontamination techniques available through the team will allow metallic waste to be recycled away
from costly storage; this approach will be deployable at other UK sites and round the world. This document will need final approval from
Westinghouse and the I4D team before being made public
Funders Panel Date: 14/06/2017 4
Results of Competition:
Competition Code:
Note: These proposals have succeeded in the assessment stage of this competition. All are subject to grant offer and conditions being met.
Project title Proposed project costs Proposed project grant
Barrnon Integrated
Decommissioning System
£59,988 £59,988Barrnon Ltd
SBRI - Nuclear Decommissioning: Integrated System Demonstrator
1701_SBRI_NDA_PH1
Total available funding is up to £900,000 for Phase 1 of this competition
Participant organisation names
Funders Panel Date: 14/06/2017 5
Note: you can see all Innovate UK-funded projects here
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/innovate-uk-funded-projects Use the Competition Code given above to search for this competition’s results
Project description - provided by applicants
The tasks addressed by the Barrnon Integrated Decommissioning System include characterisation, planning, visualisation, size reduction,
chemical & sludge removal, contamination management, decontamination, control and mitigation of airbone contamination, waste handling, waste
segregation and storage. All is achieved through the design and development of an integrated system for the decontamination and
decommissioning of contaminated materials bringing existing and new technology to the workface enabling a substantial reduction in cost whilst
giving an additional reduction in operator risk and a reduction in decommissioning timescales. This will be achieved through the use of new and
innovative sensor technology, innovative robotic manipulation equipment combining a wide range of end effectors. A Novel liquid nitrogen
decontamination process reduces contamination without producing any secondary waste enabling the user to down grade the waste classification,
reducing the cost of waste storage. The package will seamlessly intergrate the advances of VR technology both for characterisation and planning
but also for direct operator interface, all in conjunction with existing visulisation machine control. We create a user friendly system which allows
characterisation pre, during and post operation reducing the risk, speeding up the process, reducing the cost of operations. Our equipment will
offer a step change approach; each of the partners are at the forefront of their given area of expertise. Each partner is working currently on major
projects globally and in instances already collaborating to deliver work. This global approach takes learning from the likes of Japan (Fukushima),
Hanford (US) as well the European markets to give our product reliable deployment, in turn allowing us to create new markets swiftly for our
innovation. The technologies of the main project partners Oxford Technologies Ltd, Createc Ltd and Barrnon will combine to offer a suite of
decomissioning tools readily deployable with advanced decomissioning tequniques making the process of decomissionning faster, cheaper safer.
Funders Panel Date: 14/06/2017 6
Results of Competition:
Competition Code:
Note: These proposals have succeeded in the assessment stage of this competition. All are subject to grant offer and conditions being met.
Project title Proposed project costs Proposed project grant
LaserSnake++ £50,000 £50,000
Note: you can see all Innovate UK-funded projects here
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/innovate-uk-funded-projects Use the Competition Code given above to search for this competition’s results
Oliver Crispin Robotics Limited
SBRI - Nuclear Decommissioning: Integrated System Demonstrator
1701_SBRI_NDA_PH1
Total available funding is up to £900,000 for Phase 1 of this competition
Participant organisation names
Project description - provided by applicants
With the current nuclear liability of £117billion with -20%/+100% errors bars, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority needs a generic safer, faster,
cheaper decommissioning toolkit for high hazard facilities. Remote decommissioning tools of the past have typically been expensive, bespoke and
unreliable systems that have been quickly abandoned. With a focus on significantly reducing time and cost without compromising safety,
demonstrable, reliable, and transferable technology is needed to tackle decommissioning challenges now and in the future. LaserSnake++ seeks
to address this need by building on the '2016 NDA Innovation of Year' award winning LaserSnake2 project which delivered a modular, flexible, size
reduction tool '“ 'LaserSnake' and demonstrated size reduction of a 5 tonne, double skinned vessel in Sellafield's First Generation Reprocessing
Plant. LaserSnake++ adds Createc, RACE and Masters of Pie to the core of the LaserSnake team, OC Robotics and TWI. The consortium has
extensive, combined expertise in nuclear operations, robotics, size-reduction, nuclear characterisation and virtual and augmented reality tools
which will be combined in LaserSnake++. LaserSnake++ will enhance existing visual and radiation mapping tools to construct a detailed
augmented reality model of the cell. This will be used to to generate cutting and waste storage strategies based on time and cost optimisation
within the constraints of acceptable risk. LaserSnake++ will deliver a scalable solution for faster, cheaper and safer decommissioning; developing
an expandable toolkit, with a digital platform, to provide full end-to-end service which can be re-used and re-applied across multiple environments.
These tools will enable continuous improvement in training, operations and management of complex decommissioning tasks.
Funders Panel Date: 14/06/2017 7
Results of Competition:
Competition Code:
Note: These proposals have succeeded in the assessment stage of this competition. All are subject to grant offer and conditions being met.
Project title Proposed project costs Proposed project grant
DecomSmart £45,000 £45,000MDA Space and Robotics Limited
SBRI - Nuclear Decommissioning: Integrated System Demonstrator
1701_SBRI_NDA_PH1
Total available funding is up to £900,000 for Phase 1 of this competition
Participant organisation names
Funders Panel Date: 14/06/2017 8
Note: you can see all Innovate UK-funded projects here
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/innovate-uk-funded-projects Use the Competition Code given above to search for this competition’s results
Project description - provided by applicants
MDA Space & Robotics Ltd., has partnered with innovative and experienced UK SME companies and a renowned UK international organisation to
demonstrate the expertise to perform and deliver characterisation, decontamination and dismantling of complex nuclear chemical facilities. The
team of 10 UK Companies, each a technology specialist in its own field, contribute to this highly skilled Consortium that is ideally placed to deliver
a unique integrated solution that can be applied across the national and international nuclear decommissioning markets. Using sophisticated
communications expertise coupled with robotics engineering developed and deployed for the most hazardous and challenging environments
including those of space, medical and nuclear industries, the solution offered by the MDA led consortium brings together cost effective but proven
cutting edge technologies with a pragmatic 'fit-for-purpose' delivery approach. An essential element of the characterisation process is the
management and understanding of primary and secondary waste and to ensure its sorting and packaging in accordance with statutory legislation.
The use of innovative decontamination and waste collection techniques shall ensure the cost and environmental consequences are known and
minimised whilst maintaining compliance with safety standards. Integrating and building upon current technologies and innovative concepts this
'end-to-end' solution enable full and complete facility characterisation, including establishing a physical, chemical and nuclear environment
inventory providing with confidence a detailed map of the building complex to be dismantled. This provides a stable platform to achieve safer,
cost effective, and quicker completion. The complete dismantling process will generate technical records that will be vital component in the long-
term management of waste as well as ensuring compliance with nuclear waste disposal legislation. Traceability of each item removed, its
subsequent monitoring and treatment, followed by the sorting and segregation decision shall be uniquely documented and recorded.
Funders Panel Date: 14/06/2017 9
Results of Competition:
Competition Code:
Note: These proposals have succeeded in the assessment stage of this competition. All are subject to grant offer and conditions being met.
Project title Proposed project costs Proposed project grant
Nu-Decom £49,584 £49,584Nuvia Limited
SBRI - Nuclear Decommissioning: Integrated System Demonstrator
1701_SBRI_NDA_PH1
Total available funding is up to £900,000 for Phase 1 of this competition
Participant organisation names
Funders Panel Date: 14/06/2017 10
Note: you can see all Innovate UK-funded projects here
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/innovate-uk-funded-projects Use the Competition Code given above to search for this competition’s results
Project description - provided by applicants
Nuvia Limited, a UK based, international nuclear engineering, project management and services contractor has teamed up with a number of the
UK's top innovative technology providers in response to Innovate UK's SBRI IIND funding competition. The title of the project is "Nu-Decom" and
that reflects the aim of the project which is to demonstrate a range of new decommissioning technologies that will deliver the safer, cheaper and
quicker decommissioning of the UK's nuclear legacy. Nuvia have assembled a comprehensive team suited for the complex and wide ranging
challenges associated with the decommissioning of the active process plants on the Sellafield site. The team includes expertise from both industry
and academia, and the fields of expertise include: (1) Teleoperable systems, advanced robotics & semi-autonomous systems for challenging
environments. (2) Remote radiometrics and geometric characterisation. (3) The post processing of geometric data into 3D modelling and
visualisation software packages. (4) The use of games technology, virtual (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies to provide immersive
environments for training and communications purposes. (5) The application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to provide a knowledge base and expert
systems that can be used to support and guide remote operations across the UK's decommissioning program. (6) Application of Human Factors
principles. These innovative new technologies and techniques will be integrated with Nuvia's own tried and tested nuclear decommissioning
expertise and knowhow which has been successfully deployed throughout the UK and on the global decommissioning market thus providing an
established route to a global market for UK Technologies. The Project Team's industrial partners include:- Nuvia (Project Lead), Clicks & Links
(C&L), Hu-Tech, MOOG, PaR Systems, Tacit-Connections (TC), UKAEA RACE and Imitec. The Project Team's academic partners include:
University of Manchester (UoM) and the University of Bristol (UoB). As part of Phase 1 the project team will assess each step in a typical
decommissioning process including:- initial characterisation, decontamination, the design & manufacture process, operator training, HAZOP and
safety case processes, site preparation, installation & commissioning, Safe Systems of Work (SSoW), the Human Machine Interface (HMI), remote
operations, size reduction, consumable management, materials handling, routine maintenance, remote intervention & repair, waste export routes,
ex-situ size reduction, assay monitoring, waste sorting, waste sentencing & segregation, waste packaging, waste container handling and finally
export from the facility. Phase 1 will investigate the feasibility of applying the range of innovative technology platforms to each of the above steps
and rank and rate each of the applications and potential benefits against the required criteria i.e. improved productivity, minimising human
intervention, transferability, scalability and optimising waste treatment packing and routing into the most cost efficient waste streams. The project
will also consider the Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) and the cost to develop technologies to a level suitable for (a) Inactive Demonstration
(Phase 2) and (b) active demonstration. The project will prioritise and make recommendations for which platforms go forward to the Phase 2
inactive demonstration.
Funders Panel Date: 14/06/2017 11
Results of Competition:
Competition Code:
Note: These proposals have succeeded in the assessment stage of this competition. All are subject to grant offer and conditions being met.
Project title Proposed project costs Proposed project grant
Integrated Innovation for Nuclear
Decommissioning
£50,000 £50,000Amec Foster Wheeler Nuclear UK Limited
SBRI - Nuclear Decommissioning: Integrated System Demonstrator
1701_SBRI_NDA_PH1
Total available funding is up to £900,000 for Phase 1 of this competition
Participant organisation names
Funders Panel Date: 14/06/2017 12
Note: you can see all Innovate UK-funded projects here
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/innovate-uk-funded-projects Use the Competition Code given above to search for this competition’s results
Project description - provided by applicants
Our aim is to develop a modular integrated platform that will combine state-of-the-art technology with tried and tested decommissioning 'know-
how'. We will use experience from the conventional decommissioning sectors, combined with cutting-edge space, defence, medical and industrial
technologies, to produce a streamlined, safety orientated solution. The project will be developed using our experience of the pragmatic integration
of complex technology to generate a step-change in decommissioning performance, that will be Cheaper, Faster and Safer as follows: '¢ An
innovative modular control and automation strategy that can be proven and validated within the nuclear environment (Cheaper, Faster) '¢ Draw on
cross-sector innovations and a pioneering approach to reliability and fault recovery: our approach removes the need for manned entry to cells
(Safer, Faster, Cheaper) '¢ A philosophy of minimal in-situ characterisation (Cheaper, Faster) '¢ A planning approach that enables simulation
within a virtual environment, optimising sequence, process and waste management (Safer, Faster) '¢ A remote de-planting process that reduces
operations at height, and removes the need for temporary platforms, scaffolds and man entry (Safer, Faster, Cheaper) '¢ A suite of innovative
modular waste handling and processing tools that characterise, size-reduce, sort and decontaminate waste, using a repeatable and scalable
process (Faster, Cheaper) '¢ Optimised waste characterisation by moving analysis to the waste (Safer, Faster, Cheaper) Our team (Amec Foster
Wheeler [Lead Partner], Airbus Defence and Space Ltd., Clicks and Links Ltd., Damavan Imaging SAS, Digital Concepts Engineering Ltd., IS-
Instruments Ltd., Lancaster University, Salford University, and TWI) builds on existing relationships, creates new ones, and comprises nuclear and
out-of-sector expertise, innovative SMEs and applied academic innovation; we will collaborate to bring true innovation in thought and technology to
this decommissioning challenge. Amec Foster Wheeler's world-class track record in delivering and integrating complex, multi-partner projects
gives us confidence that we can deliver the project successfully within tight constraints. Our strong position in the nuclear decommissioning
market provides a platform to commercialise any technology developed both in the UK and overseas.
Funders Panel Date: 14/06/2017 13
Results of Competition:
Competition Code:
Note: These proposals have succeeded in the assessment stage of this competition. All are subject to grant offer and conditions being met.
Project title Proposed project costs Proposed project grant
Versatile Decommissioning
System (VDS)
£47,400 £47,400Eadon Consulting Limited
SBRI - Nuclear Decommissioning: Integrated System Demonstrator
1701_SBRI_NDA_PH1
Total available funding is up to £900,000 for Phase 1 of this competition
Participant organisation names
Funders Panel Date: 14/06/2017 14
Note: you can see all Innovate UK-funded projects here
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/innovate-uk-funded-projects Use the Competition Code given above to search for this competition’s results
Project description - provided by applicants
The project will develop a Versatile Decommissioning System (VDS), which brings together proven technologies to provide a powerful visualisation
and planning process, coupled with a range of access equipment and tools specifically suited to the challenges of nuclear decommissioning. The
VDS will consist of five elements: (IMPP) The Integrated Model Planning Process is a CAD based planning system, taking LIDAR and Gamma
imaging point cloud data to produce a BIM style 3D model of a cell. The Model will define section properties, contamination mapping, and
structural characteristics. The IMPP will also include a live 'œplanning database' allowing rapid identification of suitable tools or techniques for a
range of decommissioning tasks. (NDAS) The Nuclear Decommissioning Access System will provide a toolkit of access components to enable top-
down decommissioning of large cells. A working platform will be supported from proprietary lifting modules at the roof. Hydraulically operated
camming feet will brace the platform against the walls to provide redundancy, stability, and a completely independent load path. Remotely
operated equipment can be mounted onto the platform and the entire platform can be raised or lowered to enable a top-down "salami-slicing"
approach to decommissioning. (INDT) The Integrated Nuclear Decommissioning Toolkit will provide a modular system of components configured
to provide decommissioning capability, planning data for defined tools will be tabulated in the planning IMPP database. (SBPH) The Small-Bore
Pipe Harvester is a new tool based on the concept of a forestry felling machine. The SBPH will scan, hold, and crush small bore pipes into uniform
length flat sections, for efficient packing at source. The SBPH will be compatible with COTS robotic arms. (LWRS) The Local Waste Retrieval
System is a new lightweight container, grab and hoist system enabling highly efficient packing of waste at source. The LWRS containers will
tessellate within nuclear flasks to minimise handling and ensure efficient packing. The VDS will enable detailed and accurate planning of
decommissioning operations, minimising operator/material interfaces, optimising the categorisation and packing of waste, and increasing
productivity. The SBPH provides a step-change in the removal of small bore pipes, offering reduction of up to 81% in waste volume. The elements
are not interdependent, and each can be integrated into ongoing decommissioning work, thereby offering rapid bennefits and a viable route to
commercialisation.
Funders Panel Date: 14/06/2017 15
Results of Competition:
Competition Code:
Note: These proposals have succeeded in the assessment stage of this competition. All are subject to grant offer and conditions being met.
Project title Proposed project costs Proposed project grant
Integrated Keyhole Remote
Decommissioning System
£44,000 £44,000
Note: you can see all Innovate UK-funded projects here
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/innovate-uk-funded-projects Use the Competition Code given above to search for this competition’s results
Rovtech Solutions Limited
SBRI - Nuclear Decommissioning: Integrated System Demonstrator
1701_SBRI_NDA_PH1
Total available funding is up to £900,000 for Phase 1 of this competition
Participant organisation names
Project description - provided by applicants
A fully integrated , remote decommissioning system designed to minimise direct human interface in the decommissioning of irradiated nuclear
cells. The system will incorporate innovative radiological characterisation techniques, laser and video imaging, semi autonomous tools and end
effectors for the mechanical dismantling, size reduction, sorting, decontamination and removal of low to high level radioactive plant and equipment.
The Keyhole Remote Decommissioning System integrates existing technologies and innovative solutions into a ground-breaking new deployment
concept. Once implemented this system will have the capability to be operated remotely from un-connected buildings via remote link. Successful
deployment of the system will result in a process which is safer than all current decommissioning methods, removing all direct human intervention.
The system will be faster than any other system available by opening up the ability to run multiple working zones and carry out different tasks
concurrently. Keyhole Remote Decommissioning will provide a cost affective, modular solution to one of the biggest challenges in nuclear
decommissioning; providing cost savings during the decommissioning process and downstream with dramatically reduced waste disposal costs.
Funders Panel Date: 14/06/2017 16
Results of Competition:
Competition Code:
Note: These proposals have succeeded in the assessment stage of this competition. All are subject to grant offer and conditions being met.
Project title Proposed project costs Proposed project grant
Sellafield In-Cell Decommissioning
System (SIDS)
£49,976 £49,976
Note: you can see all Innovate UK-funded projects here
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/innovate-uk-funded-projects Use the Competition Code given above to search for this competition’s results
Cavendish Nuclear Ltd
SBRI - Nuclear Decommissioning: Integrated System Demonstrator
1701_SBRI_NDA_PH1
Total available funding is up to £900,000 for Phase 1 of this competition
Participant organisation names
Project description - provided by applicants
Our project will combine three existing technologies to create a system which will be make it safer and more efficient for operators to see exactly
what is inside cells before they begin the task of removing and packaging the items. We will integrate Cavendish Nuclear's 3D gamma dose rate
scanning equipment - Radscan with robotic deployment snake arm laser cutting technology This will enable operators to efficiently identify what is
Intermediate Level Waste (ILW) and what is Low Level Waste (LLW) and allow them to target which type of waste they should remove first from
each cell. It will enable operators to plan and synchronise the type of waste being removed at any point in time to match the capacity of the ILW
and LLW waste routes that are currently available on Sellafield site. In addition to Radscan and snake arm laser cutting technology, our project will
also integrate Virtual Reality (VR) technology. Based on the scanned 3D data, VR will be used to programme the motions for the robotic
deployment system, so that operator can monitor operations rather than manually controlling the operations of the equipment. Our project will also
explore the feasibility of deploying remotely positionable explosive cutting devices. The innovation in our approach is the combination of these
existing technologies into one platform that integrates the benefits of all of the technologies into a single user interface. Cavendish Nuclear has an
established track record of combining different systems and technologies into integrated systems to provide solutions to decommissioning
challenges across nuclear sites.
Funders Panel Date: 14/06/2017 17
Results of Competition:
Competition Code:
Note: These proposals have succeeded in the assessment stage of this competition. All are subject to grant offer and conditions being met.
Project title Proposed project costs Proposed project grant
Integrated & Transferable
Decommissioning Toolkit
£49,750 £49,750
Note: you can see all Innovate UK-funded projects here
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/innovate-uk-funded-projects Use the Competition Code given above to search for this competition’s results
DavyMarkham Limited
SBRI - Nuclear Decommissioning: Integrated System Demonstrator
1701_SBRI_NDA_PH1
Total available funding is up to £900,000 for Phase 1 of this competition
Participant organisation names
Project description - provided by applicants
DavyMarkham Limited (DML) is collaborating with Siempelkamp NIS Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH (NIS) in the development of a range of
decommissioning tooling for Sellafield Process Cells that are TRANSFERABLE, SCALABLE and INTEGRATED based around the successful
"toolbag" of tools used globally for the dismantiling of reactor pressure vessels and their internal structures. NIS are the leading company for
reactor pressure vessel and internals dismantling having successfully completed over 24 such projects worldwide. Both DML & Siempelkamp have
leading nuclear sector design and manufacturing capabilities and both DavyMarkham and Siempelkamp design and manufacture storage,
transport and disposal containers for the nuclear waste therefore offering a fully integrated solution for the dismantling of cell internals through to
the safe containerisation of the wasste. The DavyMarkham and Siempelkamp NIS Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH would like to thank Innovate UK and
Sellafield Limited who have recognised the need for an integrated toolkit based on proven decommissioning tooling optimised for Sellafield
process cell decommissioning but having sufficient flexibity so that the same or similar tooling can be used in other extereme envoronment
deconstruction projects at Sellafield and further afield.
Funders Panel Date: 14/06/2017 18
Results of Competition:
Competition Code:
Note: These proposals have succeeded in the assessment stage of this competition. All are subject to grant offer and conditions being met.
Project title Proposed project costs Proposed project grant
Stabilisation, Excavation and
Segregation
£49,309 £49,309
Note: you can see all Innovate UK-funded projects here
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/innovate-uk-funded-projects Use the Competition Code given above to search for this competition’s results
Costain Oil, Gas & Process Limited
SBRI - Nuclear Decommissioning: Integrated System Demonstrator
1701_SBRI_NDA_PH1
Total available funding is up to £900,000 for Phase 1 of this competition
Participant organisation names
Project description - provided by applicants
Dismantling process equipment and supporting steel in nuclear cells is made complex by the requirement to carry out multiple steps in a
hazardous environment where working times are limited. Eliminating as many of these steps from the dismantling process as is practical has the
effect of accelerating dismantling, leading to improvements in productivity and reduction in cost and dose. The proposed approach is to fill a cell
under decommissioning with low density loadbearing grout and void fillers which has the effect of stabilising and passivating the facility. Next to
excavate the grout in layers, each layer exposing a manageable portion of pipe, vessel and steel for size reduction using tracked vehicles
deploying standard cold-cutting tools. Materials are thebn removed from the cell into a purpose built access facility for categorisation using
radiometric instruments before being packaged for disposal. This simplification of the process excludes the operator from the cell and renders
avoidable several of the functional steps in the dismantling process such as characterisation, planning, decontamination and holding. The
proposed approach is an end to end solution, starting with a cell under decommissioning and ending with a cell completely empty of process
equipment and structural steel and ready for demolition, with all the waste arising
Funders Panel Date: 14/06/2017 19
Results of Competition:
Competition Code:
Note: These proposals have succeeded in the assessment stage of this competition. All are subject to grant offer and conditions being met.
Project title Proposed project costs Proposed project grant
Integrated robotic system for
characterisation and
decommissioning
£49,991 £49,991University of the West of England
SBRI - Nuclear Decommissioning: Integrated System Demonstrator
1701_SBRI_NDA_PH1
Total available funding is up to £900,000 for Phase 1 of this competition
Participant organisation names
Funders Panel Date: 14/06/2017 20
Note: you can see all Innovate UK-funded projects here
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/innovate-uk-funded-projects Use the Competition Code given above to search for this competition’s results
Project description - provided by applicants
This project will deliver an advanced mobile manipulator robot for nuclear decommissioning, based on a customised combination of proven
industrial robotics hardware, state-of-the-art control algorithms, and advanced interfaces. The robot will comprise a ruggedised mobile platform,
carrying advanced manipulator arms, and a variety of tooling (hands/grippers, cutting tools, pressure hose). State-of-the-art AI and machine vision
algorithms will be informed by a diverse sensor suite (vision, radiological, thermal), to provide 3D characterisation, and semi-autonomous control.
Prior to decommissioning, characterisation is needed. Our team has demonstrated how state-of-the-art machine learning and computer vision
(UoB - all partners defined in later sections) can provide real-time 3D reconstruction of scenes, while simultaneously recognising and labelling
materials (concrete, metal, wood, ceramics) and waste-like objects (rubber gloves, cans, pipe-work, hoses). We have also (lead partner BRL)
demonstrated how this information can then be used for efficient navigation amongst the characterised materials and objects in those scenes. This
will be augmented by combining vision sensors with radiation, contaminant, thermal and other sensors, to automatically annotate 3D models of
scenes with rich characterisation data to inform decommissioning planning, and real-time monitoring during remote operations. These will be
combined with advanced finite element analysis models (partner NNL), enabling planning and risk analysis (e.g. cutting of a component could have
wider structural implications). Following characterisation, decommissioning interventions will require grasping, cutting, and manipulating parts of
legacy plant, as well as decontamination (scabbling, grinding or pressure spraying). Our team is at the forefront of research in advanced control of
remote robots for performing such actions. While conventional direct teleoperation must always be available to the human operator, our research
has shown that incorporating elements of advanced autonomous robot control via an advanced Human-Machine Interface (HMI), so as to provide
variable autonomy as an operator-assistance technology, can improve safety, speed, and efficiency whilst greatly reducing stress and workload.
Our team has already demonstrated AI and vision-guided robot arms in UK nuclear industry sites: 1) human-supervised autonomous robot
grasping of (inactive) waste-simulant objects (@Workington) '“ NNL & UoB; 2) human-supervised autonomous laser-cutting of radioactive metal
(Preston active cave) '“ NNL & partner ARM. This project will extend these methods from large, fixed manipulators, to versatile mobile-
manipulators (robotic arms mounted on robot vehicles). We will integrate advanced manipulation methods with our state-of-the-art vehicle
navigation system, which allows a human operator to dynamically select between different levels of autonomy (LOA), ranging from direct joystick
control to fully autonomous navigation. Phase 1 will involve demos at BRL using existing robots drawn from our team's equipment resources. In
Phase 2, NNL will supervise design and build of an inactive plant-representative testing arena, within one of the new 200sqm. spaces being
specially dedicated for this purpose at BRL, which will be used to demo, evaluate and benchmark the Phase 2 robot.
Funders Panel Date: 14/06/2017 21
Results of Competition:
Competition Code:
Note: These proposals have succeeded in the assessment stage of this competition. All are subject to grant offer and conditions being met.
Project title Proposed project costs Proposed project grant
A Flexible Measurement and
Waste Led, Robotics-Based
Decommissioning Project
£48,890 £48,890
Note: you can see all Innovate UK-funded projects here
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/innovate-uk-funded-projects Use the Competition Code given above to search for this competition’s results
A.N. Technology Limited
SBRI - Nuclear Decommissioning: Integrated System Demonstrator
1701_SBRI_NDA_PH1
Total available funding is up to £900,000 for Phase 1 of this competition
Participant organisation names
Project description - provided by applicants
The project is based on several interconnected and innovative processes including 'in cell' survey measurements to establish the geometry of the
cell and the distribution of activity, dismantling the cell in a planned manner, removing the components to an adjacent Waste Segregation Area
(WSA) for processing and finally assaying, characterising and segregating the waste components and placing them in appropriate waste
containers. The process is implemented, in keeping with the ALARP principle, through the extensive use of a flexible 'œtoolbox' of proven robotic
technology, which is applicable to a wide variety of different decommissioning situations and scenarios. The principle objectives are to reduce or
eliminate both man entry into the cell and the manual handling of radioactive waste items while processing the waste. The waste is processed only
once and characterised approved waste packages are produced as the process output.
Funders Panel Date: 14/06/2017 22